Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-08-01
The Stolen Letters.

e L NLS>AAAE Ia AN<k><Nk AEA4A AAN >S<&-
por, or whstever my previous state
might have been; then l heald my
brother-in-Iaw say:
/ .'Shut those windows. please !;
there's draught enough TO kill dog
en- well people, And Kitty, have one
Of the servants bring that little air
tight stove down from the trunk
room. and see that there IS = gentle
fire kept up here at least until mid
/ day tomorrow. | will be back in s
/ few moments"
/ had been trying 10 open my lips
TO say something. 10 ask why WAS
lying in my bed at this hour of the
day or 70 request my sister Kitty 70
| put another blanket on the beds bat
/ could not utter a word. While l
was wondering what ailed me and
/ why I felt 80 queer. one Of the ser
wants. who had entered with the lit
tie stove said 20 her companion:
.'Sure an, the masther Is that quare
Niver before did l hear Of any one
wanting 10 kape desd man warrum
begorra. some o thin gets warrum
enough where they've gone, but not
/ the likes o Masther Fred
Why has Norah such 4 sound of
I -asrS II, her x1ifa<
AN why, l wonder. didn't some
o thin miserable spalpeens round IN
the back street git ruined over an
kilt. instead o him. Norah contin-
ued. 1T will about Kill his sister"
4 cold chill came over ne: who
were they talking about: Sure no
one could believe that l was lead
4 score Of weird tales which had
read came rushing through my mind
how people had been buried alive !:
how dear ones had permitted husband,
brother. father, even mother or child.
to De neglected as past hope; and
how. after infinite suffering. the sup
posed corpse had struggled free from
the coffin and winding-sheet and
come home again: and I thought, too,
Of the many who have never been
able 70 free themselves. and l would
have shuddered if I could have nov
ed muscle or even an eyelash; but
Iwas IS mmovable IS any corpse
In what seemed a century to me-
I again heard my sisters voice. Con-
zidering that her only brother was
supposed To be dead before her very
eyes, I thought she seemed very
bIithe.
s.Oh, Otto. she said TO her hus-
band. sstFreu Eess.- Ia. mot think Fred
IS really dezds~
mo more dead than am, my
dear: he had evidently received Sc
we're blow upon the head which rem
/ dered him senseIess and has thrown
( him into sort Of trance or cataleptic
state. I have just seen Dr. Burke.
and he says It Is very probable Any
I wav. Kitty. insist that the loom be
kept warm and comfortable; if alive,
he Is weak, and this place, when l
I came into IT. was cold enough 10 have
frozen any invalid: and then, on the
I other hand. L he Is not alive. il will
do no harm TO have the temperature
little high, for any sign Of decay
viii settle his condition beyond a
/ doubt-and until I an quite positive
he i dead l viii give him the benefit
+ OF the doubt. :"
/ had always liked and respected
nv grave brOther-in-Iaw : now | loved
him. How I blessed him for his
words That he would stick TO them
I had no doubt: he was mule for
obstinaey-nO, no. never again would
I I call him obstinate. but firm
/ certainly was weak, for / either
/ dozed now or had 3 faint turn. for the
next thing knew the room was warm
Z soft scarlet shawl was spread over
nv feet a. I could see through my
I half-cIOsed eyes, the curtains were
/ drawn down. and the house was de-
IIghtfuIIv still Nv sister seemed 70
have been persuzdTng her husband
/ into 3 grudging consent to something.
/ for he was saving
.'WeII, have yOur Own way, Kitty
/ can't pretend 20 fath0m the minds
/ OF you women. and yOu may De right
I do not ike the girl myself. and I
think our Fred Is thrown away On
her But then, you see there never
was bat one WOMAN in the world 10
me-"
'sYoa are the best man IN the uni
verse. Otto do hope yOa are right,
aud that our dear Fred can hear what
We say" answered M sister. kissing
ne tenderIy-
+ IF he can answered Otto, LAYING
his firm. cool hand On my forehead.
{ she knows that ne l. 70 be cared for.
and that DO harm shall come to him
I II Otto Kramer can defend him.
Alas. my tear-ducts were paralyz-
I ed and the tears which 7 felt rise IN
them could 20 no further
Kitty nor spread : large white
I quit over me, letting Il hang straight
4 and smooth and then she and Otto
+ left the room / lad faith IN them,
and again ! allowed myself To lapse
+ into q state of uHeOnscioasness from
whieh wAz aroasesI t,v = voice which
knew right well-the voice u Fer
& cling Palmer nv k-efroeked zhe va